Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW/CYOW) 1.0

[JCL]

I was at the Airport on Tuesday, and spotted a bus that was being test-driven by Airport officials.

• Video Link

[Norman Bates]

Strange proportions. Lots of overhang. Definetly longer than 40 feet, but less than 60.

Given the blacked out window treatment it must be for somekind of undercover work.

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

Given the blacked out window treatment it must be for some kind of undercover work.

Transporting workers to the top secret Area 52 in the bushes just north of Leitrim Rd. Haven't you noticed the strange hovering objects and flashing lights above Hylands Golf Club on desolate moonless nights??

[JCL]

I'm wondering if it has something to do with using the bus to transport evacuees (from an aircraft with an emergency landing) into the Airport terminal building. OC Transpo has been called in the past to do this.

[Radster]

Many airports in Europe use such buses (low floor, long overhang, tinted windows) to transport passengers to/from planes which park on the tarmac away from gates, mainly because those airport terminals don't have enough gates for all the plane traffic. But in Ottawa's case, I don't see this being the case. Which means that this is most likely something they are investing in to have in the event of some emergency (ie. plane skidded off runway - need to transport passengers to the terminal).

[Norman Bates]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

Transporting workers to the top secret Area 52 in the bushes just north of Leitrim Rd. Haven't you noticed the strange hovering objects and flashing lights above Hylands Golf Club on desolate moonless nights??

Transporting skippy and the rest of the candidates too busy knocking on doors than to attend a public debate.

[HighwayStar]

Originally Posted by JCL

I'm wondering if it has something to do with using the bus to transport evacuees (from an aircraft with an emergency landing) into the Airport terminal building. OC Transpo has been called in the past to do this.

Agreed... I was on this flight and we had to wait 1.5 hours for an OC Transpo bus to show up and haul us to the terminal... driver said he was on "standby" at Hurdman station.

http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2004/a04o0188/a04o0188.asp

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by Radster

Many airports in Europe use such buses (low floor, long overhang, tinted windows) to transport passengers to/from planes which park on the tarmac away from gates, mainly because those airport terminals don't have enough gates for all the plane traffic. But in Ottawa's case, I don't see this being the case. Which means that this is most likely something they are investing in to have in the event of some emergency (ie. plane skidded off runway - need to transport passengers to the terminal).

I've taken these buses in Dubai and in Bangkok. The number of gates in general at YOW is not the issue although the number of gates available during peak rush hour periods (like late afternoon/early evening) could be, or might become an issue soon.

[rocketphish]

Ottawa too please!

WOW Air launches $99 flights from Canada to Iceland, $149 to Europe
Toronto, Montreal will see flights to Iceland, then on to Europe starting next May

CBC News Posted: Oct 01, 2015 9:04 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 01, 2015 12:45 PM ET

Discount airline WOW Air has unveiled a plan to fly from Montreal or Toronto to Iceland for $99 one way and travel to numerous destinations in Europe for $149.

Those prices include all applicable taxes and fees, but only represent one leg of the journey to Europe and back. In other countries where it operates, WOW Air has booking fees, charges for checked bags and various, and sundry costs for things like in-flight refreshments.

"Restrictions and booking/baggage fees may apply," the company says in the small print of a press release announcing the new flights on Thursday.

The Icelandic carrier says the service via Reykjavik will begin out of Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau on May 12, 2016, and out of Toronto's Lester B. Pearson airport on May 20, 2016.

Both services will operate year round, with departures on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Launched in 2011, the airline has grown quickly and has offered deeply discounted flights with few amenities to European travellers for several years. But the move announced Thursday is part of the airline's plan to do the same in the opposite direction, and luring North American travellers eastbound.

It launched that plan earlier this year with cheap flights out of Boston's Logan airport and Baltimore Washington International.

"When we announced our U.S. routes last year, we promised that it was just the beginning of our growth into North America," the airline's owner, Skúli Mogensen, said in a release.

The strategy seems to be working as WOW says its passenger loads were up by 45 per cent in June and August compared to the same period last year.

"We have just had our best summer ever and, with these new routes launching in May 2016, next summer is another chance to break records. These great Canadian cities will become our newest destinations but I look forward to announcing even more in the not-too-distant future," Mogensen said.

The airline's 20 destinations include London, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Dublin. The airline says its Canadian toehold represents an investment of about $60 million, and will create about 100 jobs between the two Canadian airports.

Although the business model has had a turbulent history in North America with the demise of airlines like JetsGo and Canada 3000, discount airlines like Ryan Air, Aer Lingus, EasyJet and others have had success offering short-haul flights between destinations in Europe.

Only recently have discount carriers started expanding their reach across oceans.

Canadian carriers WestJet and Air Canada have both announced plans to offer more and cheaper flights to European destinations.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/wow-air-...anada-to-iceland-149-to-europe-1.3251746

[MountainView]

The way the bus was being tested on the actual runway and during wet conditions makes it seem like it will be used during emergency situations to get passengers from the plane to the terminal with their own fleet and without people having to wait (as other uses have pointed out).

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by JCL

I was at the Airport on Tuesday, and spotted a bus that was being test-driven by Airport officials.

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

Strange proportions. Lots of overhang. Definetly longer than 40 feet, but less than 60.

Given the blacked out window treatment it must be for somekind of undercover work.

Originally Posted by JCL

I'm wondering if it has something to do with using the bus to transport evacuees (from an aircraft with an emergency landing) into the Airport terminal building. OC Transpo has been called in the past to do this.

Originally Posted by Radster

Many airports in Europe use such buses (low floor, long overhang, tinted windows) to transport passengers to/from planes which park on the tarmac away from gates, mainly because those airport terminals don't have enough gates for all the plane traffic. But in Ottawa's case, I don't see this being the case. Which means that this is most likely something they are investing in to have in the event of some emergency (ie. plane skidded off runway - need to transport passengers to the terminal).

That looks like a Cobus 3000:

http://www.cobus.us/20-0-cobus-3000.html

It's an airside transfer bus, which is both longer and much wider than a regular bus, since it doesn't have to be street legal. The dark windows are just tinting to help keep the vehicle cool on the dark tarmac. As Radster says, it's used to service airplanes parked at remote stands when there aren't enough gates. Remote stands are unpopular in North America, because of weather and space availability. I find it tough to believe that YOW would purchase buses like this just for an emergency, since they would be specialized and expensive to purchase and maintain. Aside from the fact that emergencies are rare and OCTranspo is usually available on short notice, if the airport really needed buses just for emergencies a couple of used school buses could be purchased cheap and have fleet commonality withe the other airport vehicles.

Although Ottawa has gates, there are different sizes of gate. If they are primarily built to service narrow body jets, a few widebodies showing up and all requiring international gates simultaneously might not fit. If this were to only happen weekly through the winter for example, then purchasing buses and using remote stands would be a cost effective way to meet the demand without rearranging jet bridges.

Of course it could also just be a manufacturer demo doing a sales tour.

[Norman Bates]

It could also be something compelled by an insurance policy or a contract or arrangement with a carrier.

[MountainView]

I've done more pondering. Is YOW going to announce an expansion plan for the transborder part of the terminal soon? I know that side is tight for space / gates. IF so...this bus (and maybe another to make 2) could be used during construction to transport passengers from remote stands back to the terminal. (Gates 1-5 would be blocked during expansion). Just a thought.

[YOWflier]

Airport has tweeted that details about the bus situation will be shared "soon". I'm with MountainView. I think terminal expansion is going to be announced.

[HighwayStar]

**disclaimer** - this is nothing more than hope/rampant speculation - I found the article below which was written in 2013.... now that traffic has finally got back to where it was then... maybe the time has come ???

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Tourism/2013-05-21/article-3252850/Airport-plans-to-add-seven-new-gates/1

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

Airport has tweeted that details about the bus situation will be shared "soon". I'm with MountainView. I think terminal expansion is going to be announced.

That's a possibility, but with Transborder traffic stagnant for the past decade, there's no need at that end for additional gates, except during peak sun flights season. I think this is what this bus will be for (other than emergencies and diversions), will be at the remote stands (gates 31 to 34 where the old terminal transborder gates used to be (you'd think they'd want to have 3 buses total to be able to unload a full 738. I think the biggest issue is lack of international arrival gates on Saturdays and lack of 737/320 sized transborder gates (11 to 14) for Florida/Vegas. I believe gate 6 can handle up to an E90. The airport only has gates 11 to 15 that can handle international arrivals, whereas international departures can push from any gate 11 and above.

The only reason the airport were to expand is if Porter decide to exercise their 6 Q400 options and set up a regional hub at YOW (WS could do this too). I think PD would be very successful with a YOW mini-hub linking YHZ, YQM, YYG, YSJ, YFC & YQB in the east with YTZ, YHM, YKF, YXU, YQG, YSB & YQT in the west. 2 east & 2 west banks a day I think would be a hit here, along with seasonal MYR service.

I wonder if WS might jump on YXU-YOW with a Q400? Apparently YXU will soon be announcing new service: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6510035/. WS did offer YHZ & YVR one summer out of YXU.

Separately, a US cargo airline will soon start serving 3 Canadian destinations with 757 passenger charters. National Airlines will add seasonal twice weekly Orlando-Sanford service to St. John's, Windsor and Vancouver. Hope this succeeds and they expand to other cities in 2017. I think this will be Windsor's first ever transborder service and maybe the larges ever aircraft to serve the airport (or did Wardair fly charters to Europe out of YQG back in the day?). St. John's has been on an incredible roll the past couple of years (DUB, LGW, more MCO, etc.).
https://www.nationalairlines.com/service

Regarding WOW Air, yet again us, YOW, the airport in the middle gets overlooked. YUL has gone from zero service to Iceland to 8x weekly service on two airlines in the span of 2 weeks. Think of the marketing WOW could do with our airport "Fly WOW to YOW".

[YOWflier]

For me, "except during peak sun flights season" is reason enough for an expansion...that season is half the year! Ever been in the transborder area when even just two A320s-worth of pax are awaiting boarding (in addition to the typical suite of RJs)? Not fun. Plus, there's no Maple Leaf/Star lounge in the transborder area, which 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 for us FFs.

Regarding WOW (and similar, nothing against them specifically), personally, I couldn't care less about these "fringe" airlines and aside from planespotting eye candy I don't really want them around diluting our traffic. We've reached a critical pax mass in Ottawa but it's still developing. Slow and steady growth (thinking one additional overseas route - Paris - on a mainline/legacy carrier) while maintaining our existing services is crucial.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

That's a possibility, but with Transborder traffic stagnant for the past decade, there's no need at that end of additional gates, except during peak sun flights season. I think this is what this bus will be for (other than emergencies and diversions), will be at the remote stands (gates 31 to 34 where the old terminal transborder gates used to be (you'd think they'd want to have 3 buses total to be able to unload a full 738. I think the biggest issue is lack of international arrival gates on Saturdays and lack of 737/320 sized transborder gates (11 to 14) for Florida/Vegas. I believe gate 6 can handle up to an E90. The airport only has gates 11 to 15 that can handle international arrivals, whereas international departures can push from any gate 11 and above.

The only reason the airport were to expand is if Porter decide to exercise their 6 Q400 options and set up a regional hub at YOW (WS could do this too). I think PD would be very successful with a YOW mini-hub linking YHZ, YQM, YYG, YSJ, YFC & YQB in the east with YTZ, YHM, YKF, YXU, YQG, YSB & YQT in the west. 2 east & 2 west banks a day I think would be a hit here, along with seasonal MYR service.

I wonder if WS might jump on YXU-YOW with a Q400? Apparently YXU will soon be announcing new service: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6510035/. WS did offer YHZ & YVR one summer out of YXU.

Separately, a US cargo airline will soon start serving 3 Canadian destinations with 757 passenger charters. National Airlines will add seasonal twice weekly Orlando-Sanford service to St. John's, Windsor and Vancouver. Hope this succeeds and they expand to other cities in 2017. I think this will be Windsor's first ever transborder service and maybe the larges ever aircraft to serve the airport (or did Wardair fly charters to Europe out of YQG back in the day?). St. John's has been on an incredible roll the past couple of years (DUB, LGW, more MCO, etc.).
https://www.nationalairlines.com/service

Regarding WOW Air, yet again us, YOW, the airport in the middle gets overlooked. YUL has gone from zero service to Iceland to 8x weekly service on two airlines in the span of 2 weeks. Think of the marketing WOW could do with our airport "Fly WOW to YOW".

I agree and unlike YYZ and YUL, from Ottawa WOW would be able to offer some of the most convenient connections to a lot of destinations. Maybe we will get
Icelandic Air, which I would prefer anyway.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I agree and unlike YYZ and YUL, from Ottawa WOW would be able to offer some of the most convenient connections to a lot of destinations. Maybe we will get
Icelandic Air, which I would prefer anyway.

FI would for sure be the preference. I still think they'll be here once their 737s arrive on scene. I also think YOW's big trans-oceanic international expansion will come in the 2020s when the A321NEO and B737-8MAX (MAX 7 too for WS) make daily YOW-transatlantic right-sized capacity possible, even if only on a summer-seasonal basis, to the likes of KEF, LGW, GLA, DUB & CDG, and which are presently just outside the range of 737NGs.

If YYT has proven that DUB is viable from there, Ottawa's a city with 8 times the population of St. John's and also has strong ancestral ties to Ireland, you'd think with the right equipment can also work from YOW.

[Dominion301]

Here's a bit of news for the north (i.e. 5T & 7F to YFB):
5T are now using their 733s 2x weekly. The other 5x weekly is still with the -200Cs. / http://airlineroute.net/2015/09/10/5t-yowyfb-sep15/
7F are borrowing a Flair 734 until December 22nd. I noticed a white tail 734 landing on 25 while shopping at the Blossom Park Farm Boy last week with First Air titles. I guess 7F are rotating their 734s through maintenance at the moment. / http://airlineroute.net/2015/09/18/7f-yowyfb-sep15/

Also 5T & 7F's YOW-YFB codeshare was short-lived. 5T have reverted back to their traditional 0900ish departure time.